Chrysete

Chrysete is commonly believed to be a naturally occurring, if not rare, mineral from Daen. The more educated know the truth, however, that the substance is fossilized Nenya sap. A green-white stone once it has been cut into, the material is known as an almost magical fertilizer but also for being able to induce visions of talking trees. While it is likely that this substance will eventually run out, there are still pockets left in the world to discover, and so for now, there is the ability for more to appear on the market.

Contents

History

Chrysete as a substance was not discovered until after the Night of the Fallen Star. The Nenya that perished bled out their rich green and white sap as they were chopped and burned by the Kathar. In the aftermath of the event, as the few remaining faithful to the Faith of Estel desperately scraped through the ashes and ruined groves, they uncovered the first samples of Chrysete. It took many years, but those faithful eventually determined it to be a magically fossilized part of those guardians of the forest. However, seeking to prevent another destructive scouring, they spread false information that the mineral was a rare, but natural phenomena. The rest of the Elven Empire believed it, already turning away from the accident to the latest news and culture their hedonism could produce. In the chaos of the Cataclysm, knowledge of the material was lost for a number of years, but when it was rediscovered, the truth had been obscured by the two-century-old fabrication.

However, the truth was eventually discovered by alchemists following the Faith of Estel. Due to the mineral only appearing around and near old sites associated with the Faith, the faithful tested and experimented with the substance. They determined what it was, probably aided by Yanar who had suffered through the event or possessed knowledge passed on to them from their parent. Over the past century, Chrysete has remained rare as it is both an unnatural resource and because it is difficult to find. What specimens remain are often kept by wealthy Altalar or Estel faithful in temples to the goddess in southern Daen. However, recent warfare in the region has resulted in caches and samples of the rare crystal vanishing into unknown hands, with many Estellians fearing the Kathar may be seizing the pieces. Regardless of who has these samples, the material has yet to vanish entirely from the world and will likely continue to turn up from excavations, prospectors and the devoted.

Characteristics

Appearance

Chrysete is a type of crystal formed from the fossilized remains of Nenya sap. The substance is a mixture of greens and white and appears in small ovular deposits underground. In this state, they do not reflect light directly though instead lightly shine with a faint glow through unknown means. They are also light green on the surface, the touches of white only being revealed when the deposit is cut into.

General Uses

Chrysete has two vastly different primary uses, both of which involve crushing the mineral into powder. The first use is as a super-fertilizer; if it is spread out into soil with recently sowed seeds or seedlings in it, they will grow to full plants within a matter of days. This effect does not work on maturing or fully matured plants, though some claim it makes their leaves look a little greener. The other use is a much more secretive one, protected by Yanar and Estel faithful. When Chrysete powder is placed in water and ingested by a subject, it produces an intense hallucinogenic effect that will put the drinker into a state much like inebriation. However, the subject rarely speaks and instead only appears to suffer from poor motor function with flickering, exhausted looking eyes. Meanwhile, they will be experiencing a unique set of hallucinations. They are greeted with a vision of green and talking trees though if these do not show up, walking plants will appear instead. The entire experience lasts up to five minutes, and larger or smaller amounts of the powder do not change this. The material has a secondary, though much rarer use, and that it is in jewelry. Due to the nature of the gemstone, being quite brittle and easily crushed, such jewelry often features a piece of the stone contained or supported in its raw form by some outer casing or shell. Such pieces are often found on major priests and priestesses of the Faith of Estel.

Abilities

Chrysete has no inherent abilities in its raw state, but as can be read above, has several abilities and uses once ground up. When used in soil, it helps young or unborn seeds grow very quickly, and when ingested with water, it grants hallucinatory visions.

Trivia

Something that aided in the fake information spread by Estellians about Chrysete was that its effect on plant life was similar to that of Valei, an ElvenArtifact capable of reviving dead plants. Since the relic appeared like a root, the Estellians claimed that the roots had been tapping into the mineral for at least part of their magical ability.

Devoted Estellian scholars believe that Chrysete contains broken aspects of a Nenya’s Astral Appearance, thus why people can see trees talking instead of a figure.

Chrysete does not speed up the birth or maturation of a Yanar seedling.